#brain cortex

1650s, "outer shell, husk;" in botany, zoology, anatomy, "some part or structure resembling bark or rind," from Latin cortex "bark of a tree" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut"). Specifically of the brain, by 1741.

Growing bad due to bad influences: here go guilty astrocytes hosing the cancer mass with cholesterol

Glioblastoma is an extremely aggressive and invasive brain cancer, for which there exists no known effective treatment. The tumor cells are highly resistant to all known therapies, and, sadly, patient life expectancy has not increased significantly in the last 50 years. A groundbreaking study at Tel Aviv University effectively eradicated glioblastoma by combining existing molecules. The…

Vitamins in biomedicine: Parkinson and Alzheimer reap the benefits for nicotinamide supplementation

It is estimated that in 2020 nearly six million people were living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States alone; and this number is expected to increase in the coming decades. Attempts to develop drugs to treat the neurodegenerative condition have had limited success and only five drugs are currently approved. The researchers also explored the potential of existing drugs to improve the…

The utility of getting vaccinated after COVID-19: the Cleveland clinic expresses opinions

In the United States, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, which have shown high efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease in clinical trials. However, the ability to vaccinate a large part of the global population is limited by vaccine supply. In order to ensure fair access to vaccines…

Glymphatics: the brain pipe network that regulates sleep and circadian rhythms through glìals

Glymphatic system is the brainly equivalent of the bodily lymphatic system that allow immune circulation and toxins removal. However, this system in the brain, though smaller, is more complex than its peripheral counterpart. New research details how the complex set of molecular and fluid dynamics that comprise the glymphatic system are synchronized with the master internal clock that regulates…

Drug repurposing: ALS gets keymaster and gatekeeper tech to delay progression

Neurons communicate with each other through synaptic transmission, which involves both the release of chemical neurotransmitters and electrical activity. This communication can be either excitatory or inhibitory. Excitation is like the gas pedal in your car and inhibition is the brake pedal. Too much gas and you’ll speed off the road; too much brake and you don’t go anywhere. In a healthy brain,…

Alcohol preference in women driven by their hormones: look some neurobiology behind

Recreational use of alcohol can escalate into something more dire such as excessive binge drinking or even an alcohol use disorder. Women are more susceptible than men to these negative effects of alcohol, potentially because of the sex hormone estrogen. A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago shows that high estrogen levels may make alcohol more rewarding to female…